Liverpool were denied a win at Anfield, settling for a frustrating 0-0 stalemate as Fulham earned their inaugural point of the Premier League campaign on the Merseyside turf. The hosts, who handed a maiden top‑flight start to winger Bradley Barcola, appeared a touch sluggish with the ball from the opening whistle, a lingering after‑effect of their demanding clash against Atletico Madrid just days earlier.
A rare mistake from goalkeeper Alisson was nearly punished by Fulham’s Gonçalo Garcia, only to be thwarted by a timely clearance from Jeremy Jacquet. The Reds did create a genuine chance when Victor Munoz rose to meet a corner from Kostas Tsimikas, only to see his header smash against the crossbar midway through the first half. Despite a poor run of form that saw them lose their opening three league games under manager Álvaro Arbeloa, Fulham managed to dominate possession for large spells and threatened to turn the tide. The second half offered the visitors even clearer opportunities.
Josh King unleashed a long‑range effort that forced Alisson into a reflexive tip over the bar, while substitute Kevin supplied a low cross that found Rodrigo Muniz, who failed to control the ball cleanly in a promising position. In added time, Alexander Isak rose to meet a Szoboszlai corner but glanced his header wide, leaving the match deadlocked.
The point means Andoni Iraola is still hunting for his first Premier League victory at Anfield; to date he has drawn three of his first four league fixtures as Liverpool’s head coach. The team remains unbeaten, yet the lack of a win at home is a source of growing unease. The few positives that emerged from the game can be credited largely to former Liverpool man Arbeloa, whose side displayed resilience despite the odds.
Key moments: - 12' CLEARED! Garcia’s attempt is denied by Jacquet after Alisson’s error. - 22' CROSSBAR!
Munoz heads Tsimikas’ corner onto the bar. - 76' SAVE! King’s long‑range strike is tipped over by Alisson. - 79' MISS!
Kevin’s cross finds Muniz, who fails to control. - 90+1' WIDE!
Isak’s header from Szoboszlai’s corner sails wide. After the final whistle, Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola addressed the media: "In the end, this is the easier one for me, for you, for everyone – our players were tired. I think there is a lack of freshness, definitely.
We cannot hide it." "I think it's the worst turnaround in terms of 60‑something hours between the games, after a very big game the other day. But this is going to happen more times, maybe with one more day, maybe. Sometimes it will happen the same way during the season." "We have to adapt to these circumstances. It's this kind of game that you need to win, sometimes with a set‑piece, sometimes with a shot from the edge, sometimes from a moment of brilliance from the offensive players and we haven't had that today.
We've been clearly not as good offensively as we've been on other days." On midfield control he added: "I think today, especially in the first half, we were arriving late to the presses. It's clear. I think we improved this part a lot in the second half.
I think we've been better structured, I think we controlled the game better in the second half, even without scoring the goal." When asked whether playing at home was a factor, Iraola responded: "I didn't feel it three days ago against Atletico Madrid. Is it because we haven't won? I don't know.
I prefer to play at home, definitely I prefer to play at home. We cannot find the reasons outside, we have to find the reasons inside the pitch." Fulham head coach Álvaro Arbeloa also spoke after the match: "I know that when you are not winning games, it's not so easy for your players to believe in your ideas.
I know everything is easy when you win but they believe in the way that we have been working and I showed them the things that we were doing so well." "There were many things we did well but we have been making mistakes and, of course, in this league, if you make mistakes, they will punish you. That's the league, that's the level and we need to understand how important it is." "If you have chances, try to take those chances but also be a little more balanced and control the transition against a team when all teams here in England have quick players.
I think we did better and we realised how important it is to be balanced." "From my first day, we trained so hard about the transition. But I think everything changed after the Crystal Palace game because I think we have been working all this week, but in the first week also, how important it is to be balanced when you have the ball." Sky Sports correspondent Adam Bate summed up the atmosphere at Anfield: Celebrations had erupted three days earlier when Iraola secured his first Champions League win against Atletico Madrid, but that triumph was always expected to come at some point in the season. The bigger question now is whether the Basque manager can cope with an increasingly congested schedule, having impressed at Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth without the added pressure of European fixtures. This encounter was his first true test of juggling league and continental duties, and Liverpool fell short.
They struggled to match the tempo Iraola typically demands, starting sluggishly and never fully finding the rhythm needed to break down a disciplined Fulham side, which in turn introduced attacking substitutes that kept the pressure alive. Iraola’s unbeaten run as Liverpool manager continues – a streak that dates back to his early days at Bournemouth – yet home games against Nottingham Forest and now Fulham have yielded only two points. The supporters and the board will be looking for a more decisive response in the coming weeks.
The match also highlighted the fine margins that define Premier League football: a single defensive clearance, a missed header, or a tipped save can be the difference between three points and a solitary draw. Both managers will leave Anfield with plenty to ponder as they prepare for the next round of fixtures. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1 million! Enter for free.